the act wearing a special jingle bell collar. and they threw the switch last night here in new york, lighting the big old christmas tree in rockefeller center. the 84-foot nor away spruce is decked out in more than 30,000 beautiful lights. >> after it was found, workers, braced the tree with cables when superstorm blew through. lost power. and this one as you can clearly see turned out great, all ten tons, 20,000 pounds of it. actually the 80th annual lighting of the tree. a few blocks from here. this is your first christmas in new york. >> yeah, going ice skating. a little loop. do some triple salchow. not really. i don't know if those are legitimate terms. >> you rock it out, michelle kwan. coming up next, controversy in the classroom, involving a special isolation room for students. >> you see about anything here in new york, but a run away pony

and a zebra? what is going on? there is so more to this story. just stick around to find out. ♪ my little runaway run, run, run, runaway ♪ >> announcer: "world news now" weather brought to you by colonial penn live insurance. "world news now" weather brought to you by colonial penn live insurance.

welcome back, everyone. a school in washington state is coming under fire for using so-called isolation booths to

calm kids down. >> the room is used for special ed children when they're in danger of hurting themselves or others but some parents say this is nothing more than abuse. patrick preston has the story. >> reporter: in a matter of hours, photos of the isolation booth were shared on facebook about 100 times. from the outside you can see the booth is located in a storage area and has two peepholes at different heights. inside students can sit on the floor of the small padded room. the ceiling features air holes for ventilation. the original facebook poster, a longview mom criticized its use as abusive arguing kids are locked in for crying or tapping on their desk. comments echoed by facebook posters, who ask seriously have the police been notified this has been used. marcy wrote, that is terrible and should never be used

regardless if the child is out of control or not. and suggested if a parent did that at home they would be put in jail. do you feel it is abusive? >> people have their own opinion about having information about it. i would not classify it as abusive. >> reporter: the spokesperson sandy patt told me by phone the isolation booth is designed as therapy for children needing to calm down. of the 6,500 students in the longview district, eight or nine are allowed to go inside that's because the school has permission from their parents. >> it is concerning to us that there may not be a complete understanding of the situation. >> reporter: catt said some of the eight or nine kids voluntarily go inside the booth for a break from simulation and added when the door is locked a school staff member is outside monitoring what happens. >> that is fascinating but that state law on disciplining students really varies wildly and that the federal law

restricts, if there is no federal laws, to restrict policies and practices like this. looked like a jail cell. >> that seems a little harsh for kids, you know, that age. sure teachers will find a way to rationalize it. that seems a little overly punitive and strange. but obviously think, if it gets strong enough parental reaction they will change some of those policies. >> you think. seems archaic. >> music to my ears. the next story. still to come on the show, tony soprano, yes. the man, he is back. >> this is music to my ears -- brad pitt. the action packed movie starring brad pitt and james gandolfini, is next. >> announcer: "world news now" continues after this from our abc

♪ ♪

♪ until brad pitt comes along if you like that song, well, brad pitt, of course, is among the heavyweights in a new movie that looks like an action packed crime drama that also raises pretty interesting political questions as well. >> and "soprano's" fans can rejoice because james gandolfini is once again a made man. cynthia mcfadden had the tough job of sitting down with the two guys. >> reporter: it was more than 20 years a young actor played a sexy hitchhiker in "thelma and louise" and forever stole the hearts of millions of women. >> my goodness. >> reporter: but brad pitt wasn't just a romantic lead. his tough guy bona fides were cemented in "fight club." >> first rule of fight club is you do not talk about fight club. >> reporter: this week, he's opening in a new film in "killing them softly" a mob movie. starring alongside of him.

the man who made tony soprano a household name. james gandolfini. it is hard enough to get one to sit down for an interview. but to get two together. >> protection. >> reporter: is that what it is, for each other? >> yes. >> reporter: for each other? actually everyone else need protection from them. both actors play hitmen hired to seek justice for the mob. when the director told him he was excited about a new story, pitt readily signed on as both star and producer. >> no [ bleep ], no more [ bleep ] booze, nothing. >> i don't take orders from [ bleep ] look you. >> reporter: in the movie they play old friends, hired to chase down a group of wannabe tough guys. stupid enough to knock over a mob-protected card game. the film its set in 2008 in the midst of the worst financial crisis since the great depression. actual news reports are woven into the story line to suggest the people running the mob and people running the country have a lot in common.

>> you are a cynical -- you know that? >> reporter: politics aside those hoping for good old-fashioned mob movie violence will not be disappointed. >> action! >> reporter: and the whole dustup over the ad begs the question can anyone as famous as pitt really be just another actor on the set? despite the cynicism of the character he plays on screen, ultimately, find hope in the movie's message. i'm cynthia mcfadden in new york. >> it opens this weekend and was filmed all in where -- >> new orleans. >> all you need to know. we'll be back. need to know. we'll be back. really meets yous and your budget? as you probably know, medicare only covers about 80% of your part b medical expenses. the rest is up to you. so consider an aarp medicare supplement insurance plan,

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>> oh. i hear glass shattering everywhere. >> rough. >> and staten island new york, by a duo no doubt in search of greener pastures. >> before the pair was corralled they had quite an adventure. wabc's reporter was there. >> reporter: no, this is not the beginning of a joke. >> a zebra and pony. a zebra running down the street. >> reporter: no, zachary's eyes were not deceiving him wednesday morning as a zebra and pony trotted down the street right past his window shade store. >> it was like the craziest thing i ever saw. i tried to stop them so they wouldn't run into the street. i was going [ clucking ] they didn't stop. almost getting hit by a car coming on. and, nothing i could do to stop them. they were running so fast. like a herd, like galloping through the sahara or something like that. i turned around and saw two guys wearing like blue jumpsuits

carrying lassos. just the craziest thing i ever saw. running on foot after them. >> i was chasing them down victory boulevard. >> reporter: one of the guys 31-year-old giovanni who owns the zebra and the shetland pony who made a break for them right after breakfast. >> went to go feed them. forgot the gate open. >> reporter: managed to catch them before they hurt themselves or any one else. they're back home safe and sound. while zachary osher has quite a story to tell. >> rush hour. the herd was on the move. >> reporter: here they are safe and sound at home. this is casper, a 14-year-old pony by the way. back there a little shy is ros, a few months old, 4, 5 millions old. they're now back home. but their owner says in the next day or so he will take them to a farm in new jersey where they went be able to rome the streets.

josh ieninger, abc news, new york. >> interesting. yeah, as he said, going to move to new jersey. only zoos or petting zoos are allowed to keep zebras in new york city according to the health department and inspectors are investigating as they should. >> more shocked to learn that the guy who has the animals actually lives at home with his parents. i was shocked to learn that he didn't have a more active dating life. but i guess he stays busy with -- i'm coming in a minute, ma! i'm coming in a minute, ma! [ female announcer ] now get high speed internet at home

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>> announcer: from abc news, this is "world news now." good thursday morning, everyone. i'm paula faris. we are almost off to the weekend. yea! >> did you win? >> no. >> i didn't win either. >> huh-uh. i'm going to win some sleep over the weekend. >> that is some times even better. i'm rob nelson. good morning, everybody. we will have the powerball numbers and the latest from lottery officials and we know where the winning tickets were sold, two states. we'll tell you what they are coming up in just a moment. there has been news breaking overnight. hang on, we'll tell you where. also, this half hour -- not new york. the people who have beaten the odds before winning some of the biggest jackpots in history. what is life really like after striking it very, very rich. >> some of the people just blow right through it and they're worse off than before, hard to believe that would happen. >> scares me. yeah. then that looming fiscal cliff that could take money out of almost everybody's pockets,

in the form of higher taxes, there is more wrangling ahead today in washington. but are the two sides any closer to agreeing on something? >> that's right. more high level meetings today. treasury secretary tim geithner, kind of obama's negotiator man at the table. see if they can make any headway. art, later this half hour, she's 50, he's 26. demi moore has a new younger man in her life. who she is dating now coming up "the skinny." interesting choice. seeing how the last relationship turned out. >> all you need to know his last name is schnabel. >> not making that up. we are not making that up. >> no. but first, we begin with breaking news, powerball officials are making it official this morning. two jackpot tickets sold for last night's lottery, one in missouri and one in arizona. >> missouri and arizona.

congratulations. get this. by the time of the drawing the jackpot was worth $580 million. so we should mention the winning numbers right now, here they are, 5, 16, 22, 23, 29, and the powerball, my personal favorite number, 6. abc's steve osunsami got an inside look at where the winners were picked. >> reporter: buying lottery tickets like never before, more than 189 million powerball tickets sold in this final rush. >> thanks. >> this is amazing. incredible. never before happened. >> reporter: families who crowded minimarts and waited in endless lines telling us they weren't just buying tickets they were buying hope and dreams. >> it would be the best thing in the world. nobody in my family would ever have to worry about anything ever again. >> reporter: we followed les sherman as he joined the multitudes outside this lottery retailer in arizona just across the border from california and nevada where powerball tickets aren't sold.

>> i've been in line for 30 minutes. >> another 45, left. 1 hour. >> reporter: more than an hour later, les finally buys his ticket. >> definitely going to win. already spent the money. i better win. >> reporter: at powerball's tallahassee studio, security is tight, there are seven surveillance cameras and two in the locked vault where the lottery machines are squirreled away. they're determined to avoid any suggestion of a fix like the 1980 scandal in pennsylvania where workers substituted weighted balls to rig the game. >> the integrity of the game is what is utmost important to us. the door to get in here is double locked, sealed and alarmed. >> reporter: employees who touch any lottery balls are required to wear gloves. >> these balls are not touched by human hands. that's to make sure no oils or dirt or anything adhere to the balls. >> reporter: steve osunsami, abc news, tallahassee. and moving on this morning, attorneys for a tampa woman

insist she did not kill a man who won the lottery. testimony resumes later today in the case of durice dee dee moore. she is on trial for murdering abraham shakespeare. he won $17 million on a lottery ticket. his decomposing body was found in moore's backyard. her attorneys told the court there is absolutely no evidence that proves she shot shakespeare. but prosecutors say she shifted what little money he had left to her personal bank accounts. and a tragic story that you probably heard about here in new york where a new york nanny accused in the shocking double murder of two young children in her care has pleaded not guilty in a rare hospital arraignment. investigators say that the woman repeatedly stabbed 6-year-old lucia and her 2-year-old brother leo in the manhattan apartment last month. she entered her plea from her bedside where she is treated for self-inflicted stab wounds. >> the story broke the nation's

heart. apparently, the nanny suffering from mental issues but some financial issues as well and resented the family because apparently they asked her to work an extra five hours a week. so that, in addition to her other difficulties led her to then murder these kids. so, it's -- >> and the fire hours a week were to allow her to earn extra money but they wanted her to do house work which is i mean, come on. but, yeah, she is on suicide watch right now. >> yeah, exactly. and will have to go to psychiatric evaluations to get to the bottom of what her illness is. an awful case no matter how you look at it. see what the court system does. a legal rangel is under way in texas that could result in the state seizing the ranch of imprisoned polygamist leader warren jeffs. jeffs serving a life sentence after being convicted of sexually assaulting two young girls at the ranch. the state has filed papers seeking control of the remote

1,600 acre property. those still living there can legally contest the state's move. also, three former bp employees have entered not guilty pleas in connection with the deadly deep water horizon rig explosion in april 2010. two of the men were rig supervisors, the third was an executive. they entered their pleas and were released on bond, in new orleans, charged with manslaughter in the deaths of the 11 rig workers who died. in that disaster. trials are now set for early next year. high-level negotiations resume today on capitol hill over the looming fiscal cliff. there are fresh signs that republicans may be in disagreement over the best way to avoid tax increases and spending cuts. oklahoma congressman tom cole says instead of risking a tax increase on everybody it would be better to let tax increases for the top 2% of earners go up. >> if congress does nothing, every family in america will see their taxes automatically go up at the beginning of next year.

>> there has been no serious discussion by the white house on entitlements, medicare and medicaid. >> the president says he is still confident that a deal can be reached before christmas. and of course, the cliff is december 31st. >> exactly. i mean pressure is on here. the closer we get to the holidays, you know, the harder this thing becomes. i think one of the houses of congress goes on break december 14th. so i think the house. if you really look at the calendar here. deadline is tight and the president is trying to drum up public support here. now he is encouraging in the age of social media, twitter, folks get on twitter, use hash tag #my2k, the average family would spend $2,200 more in taxes. public campaign. plus negotiations today as well. so bated breath, everybody, we will see. well, the west coast is under assault for the second

straight day. getting swamped by back to back storms. by sunday, up to a foot of rain could fall from northern california into portland and seattle. and the mountains are getting buried under heavy snow on top of that. the power has gone out in some areas. property owners are doing what they can to prepare for some widespread flooding, as well as possible mudslides. rough times out there. also, the rest of your thursday forecast now. the stormy weather system bringing showers to boise and l.a. mostly dry for the rest of the country with the exception of some scattered showers and central and southern florida. >> just shy of 80 in miami. 40s in the northeast. and midwest. mostly 50s in the northern rockies and pacific northwest. well, thanksgiving was only a week ago. i'm still craving pumpkin pie. may as well be ancient history by now. it's clearly the christmas holiday season now and that's why this is our "favorite story of the day." ooh, wow -- we were almost -- >> we are all right. it features the unique sand christmas tree that is being

constructed there in west palm beach, florida. the 35-foot sculpture is made, get this, from 400 tons of sand. >> yes. >> it included some lights. they say it is the tallest sand tree ever built. they expect that it will be in place for a month. it cost $48,000. but the city says that is about the same cost as an 18-minute fireworks display on july 4th. >> all right. see that's what i like to see. not being in the south anymore. i miss a warm holiday season. it doesn't have to be cold to feel authentic. but i miss that, really. sunshine. dude is wearing shorts. what i'm talking about. >> i couldn't deal with the warm holiday season. >> got to try it. it's lovely. coming up next -- back to our top story this morning. the big powerball jackpot. and previous winners who have made a difference. and the young star of "two and a half men" finally says he's sorry but can he keep his job on the show? you have to stick around to find out.

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it sparks a movement. because people can't keep it to themselves. look ! no ugly spots ! awesome! incredible shine. i'm switching for good. love, love, love finish! over a million people have switched to finish. visit us on facebook. now is a good time to think about your options. are you looking for a plan that really meets your needs and your budget? as you probably know, medicare only covers about 80% of your part b medical expenses. the rest is up to you. so consider an aarp medicare supplement insurance plan, insured by unitedhealthcare insurance company. like all standardized medicare supplement plans, they cover some of what medicare doesn't pay. and could save you in out-of-pocket medical costs. call today to request a free decision guide to help you better understand medicare and which aarp

medicare supplement plan works best for you. with this type of plan, you'll be able to visit any doctor or hospital that accepts medicare patients... plus, there are no networks, and you'll never need a referral to see a specialist. there's a range of plans to choose from, too. and they all travel with you. anywhere in the country. join the millions who have already enrolled in the only medicare supplement plans endorsed by aarp, an organization serving the needs of people 50 and over for generations... and provided by unitedhealthcare insurance company, which has over 30 years of experience behind it. call today. remember, all medicare supplement plans help cover some of what medicare doesn't pay -- expenses that could really add up. these kinds of plans could save you in out-of-pocket medical costs. you'll be able to choose any doctor who accepts medicare patients.

and you never need referrals. if you're thinking about your options, call today. when you call, request your free decision guide. and find the aarp medicare supplement plan that may be right for you. most of us have already checked our powerball numbers know we are not winners, not losers per se, definitely not winners. but that $2 bought a lot of dreams at least for a little while. >> well, i think we're both losers, actually.

some folks don't have to dream. they're already winners. here is abc's linsey davis. >> reporter: they're part of an uber elite club. only 95 members strong. starting out with 22 all extremely lucky individuals with the help of a giant rotating tub of ping-pong balls have beaten incredible odds and hit the jackpot for $100 million or nor. >> gabrielle mohar, this one has got your name on it, girl! >> reporter: membership has its privileges. the next inductee will get a half a billion dollar payout. the net worth of will smith, britney spears and jennifer aniston combined. with $500 million you can knock on the door of oprah's $85 million california home. tell her you want to buy five of them and still have $75 million to spare. but the luckiest people of all are those who years later haven't managed to go broke.

>> been married 41 years. i know what to do with the check. [ applause ] >> reporter: people like jim and carolyn mcculler, who bought a winning mega millions lottery ticket back in january 2011 worth $190 million. >> my kids, grand kids, great grandkids and their children also will never have to worry. because we are not going to blow this. >> reporter: and now almost two years later, they have managed to do just what they said, they have set up trust funds for their four kids and 23 grandchildren. been very generous with donations, and most importantly haven't blown their millions. and cynthia stafford who won $112 million hasn't either. >> it's a blessing. people who receive it that way, they tend to keep it. i am involved with a number of organizations and it just warms my heart to be able to do these things. >> reporter: she is using her payday to pay it forward big time. linsey davis, abc news, new york. >> those folks in arizona and

missouri, be smart, do some good. keep it simple. >> coming up next, vito schnabel dating one of hollywood's best known cougars. >> schnabel. who? schnabel. >> saying i'm sorry, steven tyler style, next in the schnabel "skinny."

skinny ♪

♪ so skinny alreadiy. with one of the most interesting last names on the planet -- >> true that. >> demi moore happens to be dating a 26-year-old. granted she is 50. he is 26. >> here we go again. >> his name is vito schnabel. >> schnabel. >> schnabel. if the name sounds familiar -- >> how possibly could it? [ laughter ] >> his dad is julian schnabel, oscar nominated director for the diving bell and the butterfly. >> oh, the schnabels. >> such a schnabely, schnabel family. but apparently they met, according to "page six," they met back in november in india at a birthday party for naomi campbell's billionaire boyfriend. they were all over each other. they have been secretly dating. according to "page six" for a couple months. an art dealer.

he loves cougars. linked to liv tyler, 35, and elle macpherson, 23 years older than him. >> the dude has good taste. he likes -- likes them older but fine. can't blame him for that. hopefully, a nice rebound. that's what it is. >> schnabel doesn't discriminate. >> no, inneed. you go, you know, schnabel. you do what you do, baby. also, more "american idol" drama. first mariah carey, nicki minaj feud. then a feud nicki minaj & steven tyler. from aerosmith. apparently, he tweeted, these young kids they don't know what they're doing on the show. years ago would have kicked bob dylan off the show. nicki minaj tweets back, called tyler a racist. and felt offended by what he said. and steven defended himself and apologized. let's take a listen. >> i apologize if it was taken wrong, nicki, but i am the farthest from what did she say i was? a racist. i am the last thing on this planet that is a racist. i said if bob dylan came on the show he would have been thrown off.

you know, i think i spoke out of turn, but a racist, i'm not, nicki. >> big word eluded him. what's that again? >> looks good. looks healthy. also, kim kardashian back in the news, apparently not divorced yet. the divorce attorney went before the judge and said basically she is handcuffed to her soon to be ex-husband kris humphries. basically the trial date will start in the few months here. humphries wants an annulment, because he said the marriage was a fraud and he seeks to collect documents from the companies that handle kim's reality shows. kim is seeking traditional divorce. says i want this thing to be done and over with as quickly as possible. so it's still wrapped up in court. they're still together. apparently, kim's mom, kris and current boyfriend, kanye west have been deposed in the case, already legally messy still not divorced for my ex-girl k.k. >> until she is -- still legally with, her old husband you will have to wait.

>> i'll stand in line. >> okay, kanye. i have to know what weight watchers thinks. jessica simpson signed the lucrative million-dollar deal to take the weight sauf, shed 65 pounds. she revealed, yesterday she is pregnant again with number two. her little baby, maxwell, 7 months old. she confirmed to "us weekly" she is pregnant. it wasn't planned. she is really overjoyed. you can find out all about it on the next cover of "us weekly" or in the morning on "good morning america." >> very nice. last pregnancy, the baby is due, what, 2017. >> it is going to feel like it. >> good luck, jessica. 2017. >> it is going to feel like it. >> good luck, jessica. lysol believes no toilet is complete,

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criticizing the acting job that pays you more than $300,000 an sopd episode, that might not be right, biting the hand that feeds you. >> kind of, yeah, really. >> such is the plight of angus jones who, spent a second day trying to take back some pretty harsh word. abc's brandi hitt is in l.a. with the latest. good morning, brandi. >> reporter: good morning, rob and paula. even after his apology, the controversy surrounding actor angus jones is not going away and now other actors are weighing in. >> i am on "two and a half men" i don't want to be on it. please stop watching it. >> reporter: actor angus t. jones is apologizing for his controversial comments about "two and a half men" the television show he starred in for nearly a decade. >> please stop filling your head with filth. >> reporter: jones joined the seventh day adventist church. hours after his religious rant went viral, he released the statement. "i apologize if my remarks reflect me showing indifference to and disrespect of my

colleagues. i never intended that." next to jones in the video is pastor christopher hudson the a man described as the actor's spiritual mentor and host of the online ministry forerunner chronicles. >> the spirit would never tell him to stay on the show. the show is not teaching all truth. it's teaching lies. >> reporter: a former star of "two and a half men" is weighing in. >> thought you said he got dumped. >> reporter: charlie sheen who played jones' uncle on the comedy was fired after an ugly fight with the producers. now a star on "anger management," sheen tells abc news that my former nephew is welcome at the good son anger management home anytime. actor stephen baldwin is a born again christian and also defending jones. baldwin told "good morning america" he's been denied roles because of his religion. >> is it possible to be successful in hollywood and be an outspoken christian? >> sure doesn't seem like it now does it? >> reporter: jones isn't expected back on the "two and a half men" set until next year.

because his character has joined the military. rob, paula. e! online reporting he will exit the show after season ten. the thing, cbs has not ordered the show for an 11th season. you don't know what his future is or for that matter what the future of the show. unless they do this spin off. >> "two and a half weirdos" that's what it should say. that's all i got. >> schnabel. >> announcer: this is abc's "world news now," informing insomniacs for two decades

this morning on "world news now" -- soaking storms. northern california and the pacific northwest brace for flooding downpours, gusty winds and anxiety from mother nature. >> the coast is getting hit by one storm after another after another from a so-called pineapple express. it is thursday, november 29th.

>> announcer: from abc news, this is "world news now." >> good morning, everybody. i'm rob nelson. >> i'm paula faris. we'll check in with accuweather in a moment for the latest on the menacing storms. and there were two winning powerball tickets sold in last night's jumping jackpot drawing. the payout, the frenzy, and the incredible tickets and rate in which they were sold. but $580 million. i feel bad they actually have to split the money. what are they going to do? >> how will they eat. lump sum $320 million. >> $380 million. >> it was $320 million yesterday. >> that's incredible. tell you the two states. two states where the tickets have been sold. stay tuned. >> how many states? >> two! two! >> two.

and now, going to turn over to capitol hill where the president's number one choice for secretary of state presumably faces even more political road blocks. the moderate lawmaker speaking now out against susan rice. and exactly why. interesting -- sunny brought up some -- another incident where embassy was attacked several years ago, and saying look there is a track record here perhaps of your involvement in the state department not protecting the embassies the way you should. made an interesting point yesterday. >> they're also floating another name. they said the senate would in no way block that name. >> getting interesting. later the old trend making a comeback in lady's undergarments. who is driving women to tighten up wearing corsets for a shapelier figure. >> you have a corset on? >> can you tell? no. hello. >> are you comfortable? >> extremely comfortable. >> for halloween or whatever. i didn't know privately. i didn't know. >> just when i dance around to,

you know, some madonna songs. vogue. >> well, we begin with the waterlogged west coast. second dose of wet and wild weather bearing down from san francisco to seattle. >> part of a parade of storms taking aim at the area like a giant fire hose. add to that winds gusting at 75 miles an hour. some homeowners are spending the night without power. business owners who have been flooded before, crossing their fingers they will be spared. >> we had water up to here. seven years ago i think it was, you know? and we don't really want to go through that again. i mean it really hurts the stores. >> it depends on how it comes. this is a pineapple express. this is just the beginning. so who knows. >> the storms are not expected to let up until next week. some towns are expecting more rain over the next couple days. than they usually get for the entire month of january. which is typically their wettest month of the year. so these insanely strange weather patterns not just affecting one part of the country everywhere. >> sandy a few weeks ago here.

now the west coast starting to get slammed. wish them a lot of luck the next few days. this large storm system, it is big, could deliver a powerful punch. >> meteorologist jim dickey has the storm track and accuweather. good morning, jim. good morning, rob and paula. we have a wet pattern here across the west. an upper level low-pressure system. large storm over the open waters. storm after storm inland, dumping in plenty of tropical moisture. rain and plenty of it ahead. lasting through the weekend here. and as far as rainfall totals go, in some spots, substantial rain. coastal california, sierra, nevada. uplift from those mountains. 8 to 12 inches of rain. bring in warmth. freezing levels will be high. in many cases above pass level. around 7,500 feet. those freezing levels. the impact going forward. widespread flooding. damaging wind gusts. mud slides. again high elevation snow. and avalanche danger. rob, paula. become to you. >> thanks a lot, jim.

for now for our other major story this morning, the two jackpot winning powerball lottery tickets. here we go. they were sold in two states -- missouri and arizona! >> lottery officials in the state promise to reveal more later today. our abc's ryan owens reports on the frenzy before last night's drawing. >> reporter: this is it, a record breaking jackpot night. america's favorite jackpot game coming to you right now. >> reporter: after all of the hype, the days of breathless anticipation, it comes done to this. >> $580 million jackpot. >> reporter: in the television studio in tallahassee, florida, machines spit out six numbers. numbers that are oh, so close, but not quite the ones printed on your ticket. while the reality that almost all of us have lost yet again sets in. first up, rosenberg, texas. rudy's stop and shop may look like nothing more than a shack plastered with lottery signs you

are looking at the luckiest spot in the lone star state. rudy's owner says last year alone this one store printed up $22 million in winning tickets. >> thank you. >> thank you. >> all right. have a good day. good luck. >> reporter: to methuen, massachusetts, sure, ted's state line mobile is a gas station. but 70% of its business is lottery tickets. $15 million worth last year. this place north of boston is more like a lottery lounge. 15 kiosks, plenty of seating and some inspiration. >> this is our latest million dollar winner. >> reporter: this year alone, americans spent $61 billion on lottery are tickets. up 8.7% from 2011. where does all the money go? every state is different, but on average, 58 cents of every dollar goes to prizes. 33 cents are funneled back to state coffers. while most think lotteries fund

education, 12 of 44 states use the money solely for that. back in tallahassee, the machines that hold our fate were locked up in a vault. as the sun set on the luckiest place in texas they kept coming. right up until sales stopped just an hour before the big drawing. >> take a look at tonight's numbers. >> reporter: when so many dreams were put to bed. i'm ryan owens in texas. well, for the first time we are hearing from general david petraeus himself about his affair with paula broadwell. petraeus says his wife holly has not kicked him out despite the enormous difficulty he created for her by having the affair. he says resignation of head of the cia was the right thing to do. >> nice save. another key republican lawmaker is challenging the possible nomination of susan rice as the next secretary of state. senator susan collins of maine emerged from a 90-minute closed door meeting with the ambassador

voicing some new criticism of her initial account about libya. secretary of state clinton and president obama meanwhile are continuing to stand by rice. >> i still have many questions that remain unanswered. >> susan rice is extraordinary. couldn't be prouder of the job she has done in u.s. congress. >> reporter: massachusetts senator and former presidential candidate john kerry is now emerging as a new favorite for the job. senator collins said she would not have -- that kerry would not have any trouble winning confirmation. >> interesting there. >> yeah, it is. >> signal. >> also, what you are seeing in politics is fascinating. now speculation out there the reason the republicans are trying to derail susan price is that john kerry will get it next which frees up the senate seat and allows scott brown who lost to elizabeth warren to get back to capitol hill. >> chess match. >> who knows. susan rice was working for the

state department when there was the bombing of the embassy in africa in '98. susan collins rightfully said, now, wait a minute, you've been in two situations where greater protection was required. so the bombings took place. what is going on here. there is interesting history here. looks less likely she may get the nomination. >> three nomination, treasury secretary, secretary of defense, secretary of state as well. >> big job. all most too late for discounts booking a flight for the holidays. fares cost about 80% more this christmas travel season compared to last year. fares could jump as much as 27% more. if you book a flight during the week leading up to christmas. there are some deals if you fly late, with santa on christmas eve or christmas day, when demand drops. or you can just try to ask santa if you can hop on to his sleigh. >> that's the fastest way. get on that thing. >> uh-huh. well, we know that no place

does hype quite like las vegas. and, now we have another example of it. promoters rolled out slotzila, a double-decker zip line attraction there in downtown sin city. >> oh, yeah. in true sin city style, riders will start their zip on a structure designed to look like a slot machine. >> the lower levels we're talking about 70 feet. and you fly as you typically do in a zip line, where you're manninging. but on the top, you go off like 100-plus feet. you fly like a super hero in a prone position and rather than just let you out of the door, we shoot you out of the door. it's the first time it's ever been done. >> that would be cool. >> awesome. >> $20 to ride lower level. $30 to be on top. $40 if you want it both ways. construction of the slides will begin after new years and is expected to open in june. if i, would prognosticate, i would say you would be willing to pay $40 to have it --

>> in vegas, hey, anything goes. are you a zip line person? >> i love zip lining. been twice. >> night time. lights on the strip. >> concrete beneath you. >> count me in. don't worry, a stripper will break your fall. all right. coming up, sharing is good, right? especially when it comes to a multimillion jackpot. if you are part of an office pool, we have things to know to make sure you get your fair share. but first, is it the next best thing or a fashion fail? corsets are making a comeback. we will have a fitting when we return. that's coming up on "world news now." news now". lysol toilet bowl cleaner gives you maximum coverage from the rim down to the water line to kill 99.9% of germs. and removes stains better than clorox toilet bowl cleaner with bleach. so if you want to do the whole job, lysol's got you covered.

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♪ that is something most women hoped would never happen, the corset, yes, ladies, that torture device from the 18th century. squeezes a woman's bed into a perfect hourglass shape. it is unfortunately back. >> a woman's quest to look good can never be underestimated now. we have a fashion show from abc's lama hasan. ♪ >> reporter: just the mere word corset conjures up all kind of images from a sexy, svelte waistline to torture devices as i found out. do i have to do anything except suck my stomach in. i was prodded, squeezed and finally strapped into an 1870s victorian replica. >> ooh. that's not so bad actually. >> i need to do it up? >> there's more. ♪ oppression

>> reporter: they've been around since the 1300s in some shape or form, and from rigid whale bone, and the days of ill-fated french queen, marie antoinette, to stuffy victorian england, to the gritty, wild, wild west, and finally, a modern twist. using metal spirals. >> they can be very comfortable and they're supportive and support your back as well as your front. >> reporter: well, try telling that to judy garland as she was being strapped into one in the movie "meet me in st. louis." judy, i feel your pain. but now these curve constricting undergarments are back in a big way. ♪ to miley cyrus to downton abby. >> you don't think you are being a bit obvious. >> sales are going up. >> reporter: even the queen's maker is reporting a 45% increase in sales since last year.

sarah nichol, curator of britain's largest corset collections thinks she knows why. >> you can get that lovely hourglass figure without spending hours in the gym. ♪ now a corset can do a lot for a lady ♪ >> reporter: at least according to fran warren, a perfect smoothed-out body and an hourglass silhouette in seconds. ♪ you push it up here pull it down there tighten up the middle till you are gasping for air ♪ >> reporter: all you need is one of these, ladies, and a pinch of pain. oh, the perils of looking good. tah-dah! what do you think? i'm lama hasan in london. >> she looks great. but she may have a punctured lung. it can squish your lungs by 30% to 60%. puts a kink in your organs and can cause severe constipation. >> oh, really? >> yes.

>> oh, man. at least you look hot. the price of beauty. >> uh-huh. >> read the tease, i'm going to give lama a call. >> hey, girl. >> hey, girl. still ahead, even if you didn't win last night's powerball there is still a lot of lottery look. >> don't go far, everybody. we'll be right back. >> announcer: "world news now" continues after this from our úñ

♪ it's always more fun to share with everyone ♪ to share or not to share that is the question that face millions of lottery players these past few days. >> with last night's powerball jackpot, people pooled their own money to get more bang for their buck. if lady luck strikes, how do you make sure you get your fair share. abc's linsey davis has the answer. >> reporter: carmen ortiz is convinced her waitressing days are over. is this your last day?

>> i think so. >> the executor of the high stakes office pool almost 30 people all pooling their money and promising to split the spoils evenly. >> i have the money. i have the names. >> oh, wow. >> reporter: with stakes this high you would think there would be some kind of contract. but this handwritten list is it. names and a check mark. seems sufficient until they actually win. just ask this group of construction workers in new jersey. they had to sue their co-worker, america lopez after he bought the pool tickets, secretly won a $38 million jackpot and simply stopped showing up at work. this group of 16 school workers got even luckier because there was no fallout when they split their winnings, leaving them with about $500,000 each. one problem i already foresee, fernando put in $20. everyone else just $2. >> split it all equal. >> i think we can trust our colleagues. but you know what, people do

funny things when millions of dollars become at stake. >> reporter: how to ensure your office pool runs smoothly. always write down terms. list the names of every member of your office pool. make photo copies of the tickets purchased and distribute them to all members of the pool. don't run multiple pools at once. and make a list of people who chose to opt out this time. while i'm one of the people who typically opts out, i couldn't help but take the plunge in this pool. just going to walk away from your restaurant? >> i am going to fly away from the restaurant. >> reporter: good luck, linsey davis, abc news, new york. >> just like offices out there. >> we had an office pool here on the overnight shift. these people right here, got the powerball of 6. tell them about your big winnings this morning. how much are you each taking home? >> well, 60 cents. cashed mine in right there. >> 60 cents. lump sum for you guys? >> that's all there is. >> you won $12.

among 20 people. each of you taking home 60 cents before taxes. and that helps. what was the plan if you hit it big, how many would come back to work? how many of you would we have seen tomorrow night if you had won? >> i would not have been here. no way. >> no one stays on? >> i would be sleeping at this time. >> like normal people. exactly. very nice. what was the craziest thing you would have done with the money, the fun thing? your craziest thing? >> would have paid $40 to get it both ways. out in vegas. >> oh, no. >> oh, no.

welcome to "the mix," everybody. you know, it is the holiday season. everybody is worried what can you get me. it is nice to see stories of -- of true philanthropy, and people thinking outside of themselves. want to show you the photo kind of gone viral.

it's of a new york police officer putting some boots on a homeless man right outside of times square. this officer, lawrence diprimo, had no idea a tourist from arizona was taking this photo. she posted it on the new york police department's official facebook page, late on tuesday. by wednesday it had been viewed 1.6 million times. nearly 275,000 likes. this officer came upon this homeless man, disappeared for a second. and came back with a pair of boots. he went into an area, a shoe store, and the officer said that he has kept the receipt for $75 in his vest since then to remind him that sometimes people have it worse. >> i love that story too. every day i walk home. you see, especially this time of year, cold, snow coming all that. so, well done, sir. new york's finest to say the least. and on a completely different and far less classier topic. take a look at this, $6,400

toilet. >> toilet? >> toilet. integrated biet bidet, automated seat, lid raiser, seat warmer, foot warmer. built in player and f.m. radio. >> you drop off the kids in the pool with class, and alternate comfort there. for mere $6,400. that's like throwing money down the crapper. >> my husband saw that in a magazine and said this is cool. >> it is cool. i like it. >> yeah, honey, we're not going to spend $6,400 on it. get air freshener. >> matches, matches shocking low effective. >> if you know somebody who loves bacon, a story for you. we actually, one of our -- fine folks here on the wnn staff found this magazine. and we are going to show you a couple of pictures, about

bacon-themed items you can get for the bacon lover in your life. get a bacon rug. yes, a bacon rug. >> i love it. >> a bacon ornament for the tree. you can deck the halls with lots of baeken. and you can also buy bacon flavored toothpaste. >> yes. >> you can get a bacon coosie, bacon earrings, bacon shaving cream, bacon shirt, bacon, bacon, bacon. >> not bad. i love it. real quick, got to get this in. new magazine out with the best looking and worst lookin

this morning on "world news now" -- multimillionaire dreams. last night's powerball jackpot worth $580 million bucks. >> the cross-country frenzy to buy tickets and who may have won this ginormous prize. it is thursday, november 29th.

>> announcer: from abc news, this is "world news now." i think today ginormous is a word. >> not sure if it is in webster's dictionary. >> good morning, i'm rob nelson. >> i'm paula faris. we will get to the post-lottery drawing excitement in our top story. then to the west coast where mother nature could be delivering a triple whammy. one storm after another. it is already causing flooding, power outages, and plenty of anxiety and nerves. >> three kind of systems combined out there, too. it's a rough few days ahead for our friends out west. also from bangladesh, the unrest following saturday's fatal fire at a clothing factory. some very well known american companies that sold products made at that plant. they're now telling their side of the story. later this half hour, the public school that puts students inside a padded isolation room. the outrage after pictures of it

were posted on social media. and how school administrators are explaining this. >> yes, indeed. but, first, we should get to some breaking news this morning on that ginormous news on that powerball lottery drawing. the big numbers, last night's jackpot was worth $580 million. it did go up, $500 million. so the selling frenzy. >> as we predicted. >> so the payout lump sum would be $380 million. and there is word this morning of the winning tickets. get this, hold your breath. we're going to shatter dreams and make some right here. winning tickets sold in two states confirmed, missouri and arizona. >> not new york? >> not new york. >> as for the small numbers, check your tickets. winners were -- 5, 16, 22, 23, 29, and powerball was 6. abc's t.j. winick braving the chill here in new york to gauge powerball fever. good morning, t.j.

>> reporter: good morning, rob and paula. this jackpot has already defied its own odds, 16 drawings in a row without a winner. that made last night's jackpot the second largest in u.s. lottery history. at 10:59 eastern time the numbers were drawn. the powerball jackpot just kept growing and growing. it grew to over a half a billion dollars. and would-be winners had more than half a billion ideas on how to spend it. [ indiscernible ] and make a five-story mansion. >> a happy life with no money woes. >> pay off bills. >> reporter: from convenience stores to supermarkets, the lotto machines were burning up as millions of americans in 42 states and district of columbia were lining up and dreaming big. >> that's the one right there. i'll see you tomorrow. >> reporter: in the final hours, tickets were selling at more than 100,000 per minute. in one gas station in indiana

they were literally giving away powerball tickets. they had 425 of them. they were all gone in an hour. >> free powerball tickets for the drawing. >> reporter: with free tickets your odds of winning, only 1 in 175 million. in yuma, arizona, californians and nevadans were trying to get in on the action powerball not offered in those states. t.j. winick, abc news. new york. so let us reiterate the breaking news this morning. hate to shatter dreams in the 48 states. arizona and missouri. >> so far. >> so far what we know. those are the winners in the two states. you managed the person who won already knows. >> her sons. hopefully they're all on the phone with some very good financial advisers and lawyers. >> just again, 5, 16, 22, 23, 29, powerball was 6. amazed to hear statistics about how much money is left on the table. people that have won mega

millions or powerball or just a lotto ticket and have never come forward to claim the prize in hundreds of millions of dollars. >> $800 million, never been claimed. all the prizes you don't add up for big ones. people threw it away. $800 million. to show you the frenzy that struck the country yesterday. listen to the stat from florida that didn't win. the largest powerball state in terms of sales and winners. between 6:00 and 7:00 last night sold $4.6 million worth of tickets. that is 36,000 tickets per minute that they sold. shattering records. >> just imagine if the other eight states not included were allowed to. california. >> couple dozen people who live out there. speaking of californians, northern california is sopping wet this morning and bracing for another wave of wild weather. the soaking storms will keep coming for days from the bay

area. all the way to see seattle. it's the so-called atmospheric river known as the pineapple express because it extends from hawaii. powerful winds have started knocking out power in some areas. the downpours are expected to trigger flooding and mud slides. let's get the very latest on this powerful storm system and where it's headed. >> meteorologist jim dickey is tracking it all for us at accuweather. good morning, jim. >> good morning, rob, paula. soaking rainfall on tap for today. in across california. an upper level pressure system spinning offshore. drawing in tropical moisture here. soaking rain expected. san francisco on northward through portland. in the seattle area. along with strong, gusty winds. we're talking gusts especially along the coast. in some cases, 60-80 miles an hour, 40 to 60 miles an hour here. bringing down trees and power lines. rob and paula, back to you. >> all right. thanks a lot, jim. overseas, a town in southern italy just got slammed by a rare and powerful tornado. it plowed through europe's largest steel plant, tearing down their chimney stack and

damaging buildings as well. one person was missing, dozens injured. workers had stormed the fact tore just the day before following an announcement by management it would be shut down for good. and now to the latest on that deadly garment factory fire in bangladesh. three supervisors are being questioned after survivors say they were locked inside the factory by these gentlemen when the fire broke out. apparently, management assumed the fire alarm was false and did not want employees leaving their sewing machines. [ indiscernible ] when you hear the fire alarm. >> the fire department said they had to come in with bolt cutters to cut the locks. some ran to the roof. tried to jump off. windows were locked. smashed through the windows. >> that's heartbreaking. like walmart and sears, disney says the factory was not supposed to be making its clothes. a statement from our parent company says none of our

licensees have been approved to manufacture disney brand of products for this facility in at least the last 12 months. for the first time, we are hearing from general david petraeus himself about his affair with paula broadwell. in a letter to a fellow general, petraeus says his wife, holly is standing by him despite the affair. he's not being kicked out of the house. his resignation, to the cia was simply the right thing to do. james shelton is the general who got the letter blames paula broadwell for the affair. shelton said broadwell was a savvy woman who knew a lot more about matters of the heart. >> doesn't it take two to tango? >> that's what i thought. another key republican law maker is challenging possible nomination of susan rice as next secretary of state. senator susan collins of maine says that she could not back rice's nomination until more questions are answered about the benghazi attack. and massachusetts senator john kerry emerging as an alternative. in a clear message to the white

house, collins said kerry would have no problem winning senate confirmation. well, mitt romney is going to the white house after all. the former presidential candidate is meeting president obama for lunch today in a private white house dining room. now, the president had promised, of course, in his victory speech that he would reach out to his rival. romney has been spending most post election time at his family's home in southern california. wouldn't you like to be a fly on the wall of that one? ♪ awkward >> slightly. or maybe they will actually be more, more warm and hospitable than we think. >> you think with such a partisan, divisive election. you wonder how they kind of break that ice, and the president with his political role model, lincoln. team rival. there was at some point, romney would be treasury secretary. a little unlikely. at least give romney a role in some economic council or advisory position.

>> the president has gone on record and says he respects romney for his work with the olympics, restoring the olympics, you know, his skillset lends to ideas that could get the economy growing going. but his spokesman said he does not have a specific assignment for his arrival but it was going to be a useful discussion. >> love to hear that. good luck. the lunch comes early in the holiday season in at the white house. decorations include 54 live christmas trees. unveiled yesterday by first lady, michelle obama. thought i was looking in your living room, now, rob. >> does that look like a plastic tree? the centerpiece of the decorations is outsized 300-pound gingerbread model of the white house that sits in the state dining room. after the big unveiling, mrs. obama helped the children of military families make holiday decorations and bo, the

for the portuguese water dog got in on the act wearing a special jingle bell collar. and they threw the switch last night here in new york, lighting the big old christmas tree in rockefeller center. the 84-foot norway spruce is decked out in more than 30,000 beautiful lights. >> after it was found, workers, braced the tree with cables when superstorm blew through. lost power. and this one as you can clearly see turned out great, all ten tons, 20,000 pounds of it. actually the 80th annual lighting of the tree. only a few blocks from here. this is your first christmas in new york. >> yeah, going ice skating. a little loop. a little triple salchow. not really. i don't know if those are legitimate terms. >> you rock it out, michelle kwan. coming up next, controversy in the classroom, involving a special isolation room for students. and you see just about anything here in new york, but a

run-away pony and zebra? and a zebra? what is going on? there is so more to this story. just stick around to find out. ♪ my little runaway run, run, run, runaway ♪ >> announcer: "world news now" weather brought to you by colonial penn life insurance. to you by colonial penn live insurance.

welcome back, everyone. a school in washington state is coming under fire for using so-called isolation booths to calm kids down.

>> the room is used for special ed children when they're in danger of hurting themselves or others but some parents say this is nothing more than abuse. patrick preston has the story. >> reporter: in a matter of hours, photos of the isolation booth were shared on facebook about 100 times. from the outside you can see the booth is located in a storage area and has two peepholes at different heights. inside students can sit on the floor of the small padded room. the ceiling features air holes for ventilation. the original facebook poster, a longview mom criticized its use as abusive arguing kids are locked in for crying or tapping on their desk. comments echoed by facebook posters, who ask seriously have the police been notified this has been used. marcy wrote, that is terrible and should never be used regardless if the child is out of control or not. and suggested if a parent did that at home they would be put in jail.

do you feel it is abusive? >> people have their own opinion about having information about it. i would not classify it as abusive. >> reporter: the spokesperson sandy catt told me by phone the isolation booth is designed as therapy for children needing to calm down. of the 6,500 students in the longview district, eight or nine are allowed to go inside that's because the school has permission from their parents. >> it is concerning to us that there may not be a complete understanding of the situation. >> reporter: catt said some of the eight or nine kids voluntarily go inside the booth for a break from simulation and added when the door is locked a school staff member is outside monitoring what happens. >> that is fascinating but that state law on disciplining stupids really varies widely

and that the federal law restricts, if there is no federal laws, to restrict policies and practices like this. looked like a jail cell. >> that seems a little harsh for kids, you know, that age. sure teachers will find a way to rationalize it. that seems a little overly punitive and strange. but obviously think, if it gets strong enough parental reaction they will change some of those policies. >> you think. seems archaic. this is music to my ears, this next story. still to come on the show, tony soprano, yes. the man, he is back. >> this is music to my ears -- brad pitt. the action packed movie starring brad pitt and james gandolfini, is next. >> announcer: "world news now" continues after this from our abc stations.pi@$@ t@

♪ ♪ ♪ until brad pitt comes along

if you like that song, well, brad pitt, of course, is among the heavyweights in a new movie that looks like an action packed crime drama that also raises pretty interesting political questions as well. >> and "soprano's" fans can rejoice because james gandolfini is once again a made man. cynthia mcfadden had the tough job of sitting down with the two guys. >> reporter: it was more than 20 years a young actor played a sexy hitchhiker in "thelma and louise" and forever stole the hearts of millions of women. >> my goodness. >> reporter: but brad pitt wasn't just a romantic lead. his tough guy bona fides were cemented in "fight club." >> first rule of fight club is you do not talk about fight club. >> reporter: this week, he's opening in a new film in "killing them softly" a mob movie. starring alongside of him. the man who made tony soprano a household name.

james gandolfini. it is hard enough to get one to sit down for an interview. but to get two together. >> protection. >> reporter: is that what it is, for each other? >> yes. >> reporter: yeah. actually everyone else need protection from them. both actors play hitmen hired to seek justice for the mob. when the director told him he was excited about a new story, pitt readily signed on as both star and producer. >> no [ bleep ], no more booze, no nothing. >> i don't take orders from [ bleep ] like you. >> reporter: in the movie they play old friends, hired to chase down a group of wannabe tough guys. stupid enough to knock over a mob-protected card game. the film is set in 2008 in the midst of the worst financial crisis since the great depression. actual news reports are woven into the story line to suggest the people running the mob and people running the country have

a lot in common. >> you are a cynical -- you know that? >> reporter: politics aside those hoping for good old-fashioned mob movie violence will not be disappointed. >> action! >> reporter: and the whole dustup over the ad begs the question can anyone as famous as pitt really be just another actor on the set? despite the cynicism of the character he plays on screen, ultimately finds hope in the movie's message. i'm cynthia mcfadden in new york. >> it opens this weekend and was filmed all in where -- >> new orleans. >> all you need to know. we'll be back. need to know. we'll be back. really meets yous and your budget? as you probably know, medicare only covers about 80% of your part b medical expenses. the rest is up to you. so consider an aarp medicare supplement insurance plan,

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♪ oh i need some one to read me stories ♪ ♪ oh someone to turn the page ♪ oh >> oh.

i hear glass shattering everywhere. >> rough. >> and staten island new york, by a duo no doubt in search of greener pastures. >> before the pair was corralled they had quite an adventure. wabc's reporter was there. >> reporter: no, this is not the beginning of a joke. >> a zebra and pony. a zebra running down the street. >> reporter: no, zachary's eyes were not deceiving him wednesday morning as a zebra and pony trotted down the street right past his window shade store. >> it was like the craziest thing i ever saw. i tried to stop them so they wouldn't run into the street. i was going [ clucking ] they didn't stop. almost getting hit by a car coming on. and, nothing i could do to stop them. they were running so fast. like a herd, like galloping through the sahara or something like that. i turned around and saw two guys wearing like blue jumpsuits carrying lassos. just the craziest thing i ever saw.

running on foot after them. >> i was chasing them down victory boulevard. >> reporter: one of the guys 31-year-old giovanni who owns the zebra and the shetland pony who made a break for them right after breakfast. >> went to go feed them. forgot the gate open. >> reporter: managed to catch them before they hurt themselves or any one else. they're back home safe and sound. while zachary osher has quite a story to tell. >> rush hour. the herd was on the move. >> reporter: here they are safe and sound at home. this is casper, a 14-year-old pony by the way. back there say a little shy, razzy. a few months old, 4, 5 millions old. they're now back home. but their owner says in the next day or so he will take them to a farm in new jersey where they went be able to rome the streets. josh einiger, abc news, staten island, new york. >> interesting. yeah, as he said, going to move to new jersey. only zoos or petting zoos are allowed to keep zebras in new

york city according to the health department and inspectors are investigating as they should. >> more shocked to learn that the guy who has the animals actually lives at home with his parents. i was shocked to learn that he didn't have a more active dating life. but i guess he stays busy with [ horse naying ] i'm coming in a minute, ma!

this morning on "world news now" -- the $580 million question. there are lots of losers, but what about winners of that giant powerball jackpot? >> that is the question being asked all across the country right now. on this thursday, november 29th.

>> announcer: from abc news, this is "world news now." good thursday morning, everyone. i'm paula faris. we are almost off to the weekend. yea! >> did you win? >> no. >> i didn't win either. >> huh-uh. i'm going to win some sleep over the weekend. >> that is some times even better. i'm rob nelson. good morning, everybody. we will have the powerball numbers and the latest from lottery officials and we know where the winning tickets were sold, two states. we'll tell you what they are coming up in just a moment. there has been news breaking overnight. hang on, we'll tell you where. also, this half hour -- not new york. the people who have beaten the odds before winning some of the biggest jackpots in history. what is life really like after striking it very, very rich. >> some of the people just blow right through it and they're worse off than before, hard to believe that would happen. >> scares me. yeah. then that looming fiscal cliff that could take money out of almost everybody's pockets,

in the form of higher taxes, there is more wrangling ahead today in washington. but are the two sides any closer to agreeing on something? >> that's right. more high level meetings today. treasury secretary tim geithner, kind of obama's negotiator man at the table. see if they can make any headway. art, later this half hour, she's 50, he's 26. demi moore has a new younger man in her life. who she is dating now coming up "the skinny." interesting choice. seeing how the last relationship turned out. >> all you need to know his last name is schnabel. >> not making that up. we are not making that up. >> no. but first, we begin with breaking news, powerball officials are making it official this morning. two jackpot tickets sold for last night's lottery, one in missouri and one in arizona. >> missouri and arizona. congratulations. get this. by the time of the drawing the

jackpot was worth $580 million. so we should mention the winning numbers right now, here they are, 5, 16, 22, 23, 29, and the powerball, my personal favorite number, 6. abc's steve osunsami got an inside look at where the winners were picked. >> reporter: buying lottery tickets like never before, more than 189 million powerball tickets sold in this final rush. >> thanks. >> this is amazing. incredible. never before happened. >> reporter: families who crowded minimarts and waited in endless lines telling us they weren't just buying tickets they were buying hope and dreams. >> it would be the best thing in the world. nobody in my family would ever have to worry about anything ever again. >> reporter: we followed les sherman as he joined the multitudes outside this lottery retailer in arizona just across the border from california and nevada where powerball tickets aren't sold. >> i've been in line for 30

minutes. >> another 45, left. 1 hour. >> reporter: more than an hour later, les finally buys his ticket. >> definitely going to win. already spent the money. i better win. >> reporter: at powerball's tallahassee studio, security is tight, there are seven surveillance cameras and two in the locked vault where the lottery machines are squirreled away. they're determined to avoid any suggestion of a fix like the 1980 scandal in pennsylvania where workers substituted weighted balls to rig the game. >> the integrity of the game is what is utmost important to us. the door to get in here is double locked, sealed and alarmed. >> reporter: employees who touch any lottery balls are required to wear gloves. >> these balls are not touched by human hands. that's to make sure no oils or dirt or anything adhere to the balls. >> reporter: steve osunsami, abc news, tallahassee. and moving on this morning, attorneys for a tampa woman insist she did not kill a man

who won the lottery. testimony resumes later today in the case of durice dee dee moore. she is on trial for murdering abraham shakespeare. he won $17 million on a lottery ticket. his decomposing body was found in moore's backyard. her attorneys told the court there is absolutely no evidence that proves she shot shakespeare. but prosecutors say she shifted what little money he had left to her personal bank accounts. and a tragic story that you probably heard about here in new york where a new york nanny accused in the shocking double murder of two young children in her care has pleaded not guilty in a rare hospital arraignment. investigators say that the woman repeatedly stabbed 6-year-old lucia and her 2-year-old brother leo in the manhattan apartment last month. she entered her plea from her bedside where she is treated for self-inflicted stab wounds. >> the story broke the nation's heart.

apparently, the nanny suffering from mental issues but some financial issues as well and resented the family because apparently they asked her to work an extra five hours a week. so that, in addition to her other difficulties led her to then murder these kids. so, it's -- >> and the five hours a week were to allow her to earn extra money but they wanted her to do house work which is i mean, come on. but, yeah, she is on suicide watch right now. >> yeah, exactly. and will have to go to psychiatric evaluations to get to the bottom of what her illness is. an awful case no matter how you look at it. see what the court system does. a legal wrangle is under way in texas that could result in the state seizing the ranch of imprisoned polygamist leader warren jeffs. jeffs serving a life sentence after being convicted of sexually assaulting two young girls at the ranch. the state has filed papers seeking control of the remote 1,600 acre property. those still living there can legally contest the state's move.

also, three former bp employees have entered not guilty pleas in connection with the deadly deep water horizon rig explosion in april 2010. two of the men were rig supervisors, the third was an executive. they entered their pleas and were released on bond, in new orleans, charged with manslaughter in the deaths of the 11 rig workers who died. in that disaster. trials are now set for early next year. high-level negotiations resume today on capitol hill over the looming fiscal cliff. there are fresh signs that republicans may be in disagreement over the best way to avoid tax increases and spending cuts. oklahoma congressman tom cole says instead of risking a tax increase on everybody it would be better to let tax increases for the top 2% of earners go up. >> if congress does nothing, every family in america will see their taxes automatically go up at the beginning of next year. >> there has been no serious discussion by the white house on

entitlements, medicare and medicaid. >> the president says he is still confident that a deal can be reached before christmas. and of course, the cliff is december 31st. >> exactly. i mean pressure is on here. the closer we get to the holidays, you know, the harder this thing becomes. i think one of the houses of congress goes on break december 14th. so i think it's the house. if you really look at the calendar here. deadline is tight and the president is trying to drum up public support here. now he is encouraging in the age of social media, twitter, folks get on twitter, use hash tag #my2k, the average family would spend $2,200 more in taxes. so there's a public campaign going on, plus negotiations today as well. so bated breath, everybody, we will see. well, the west coast is under assault for the second straight day. getting swamped by back to back storms. by sunday, up to a foot of rain

could fall from northern california into portland and seattle. and the mountains are getting buried under heavy snow on top of that. the power has gone out in some areas. property owners are doing what they can to prepare for some widespread flooding, as well as possible mud slides. rough times out there. also, the rest of your thursday forecast now. the stormy weather system bringing showers to boise and l.a. mostly dry for the rest of the country with the exception of some scattered showers and central and southern florida. >> just shy of 80 in miami. 40s in the northeast. and midwest. mostly 50s in the northern rockies and pacific northwest. well, thanksgiving was only a week ago. i'm still craving pumpkin pie. may as well be ancient history by now. it's clearly the christmas holiday season now and that's why this is our "favorite story of the day." ooh, wow -- we were almost -- >> we are all right. it features the unique sand christmas tree that is being constructed there in west palm

beach, florida. the 35-foot sculpture is made, get this, from 400 tons of sand. >> yes. >> it included some lights. they say it is the tallest sand tree ever built. they expect that it will be in place for a month. it cost $48,000. but the city says that is about the same cost as an 18-minute fireworks display on july 4th. >> all right. see that's what i like to see. not being in the south anymore. i miss a warm holiday season. it doesn't have to be cold to feel authentic. but i miss that, really. sunshine. dude is wearing shorts. what i'm talking about. >> i couldn't deal with the warm holiday season. >> got to try it. it's lovely. coming up next -- back to our top story this morning. the big powerball jackpot. and previous winners who have made a difference. and the young star of "two and a half men" finally says he's sorry but can he keep his job on the show? you have to stick around to find out. ♪ that i was such a fool i didn't know ♪

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who accepts medicare patients. and you never need referrals. if you're thinking about your options, call today. when you call, request your free decision guide. and find the aarp medicare supplement plan that may be right for you. most of us have already checked our powerball numbers know we are not winners, not losers per se, definitely not winners. but that $2 bought a lot of dreams at least for a little while. >> well, i think we're both losers, actually. some folks don't have to dream. they're already winners.

here is abc's linsey davis. >> reporter: they're part of an uber elite club. only 95 members strong. starting out with 22 all extremely lucky individuals with the help of a giant rotating tub of ping-pong balls have beaten incredible odds and hit the jackpot for $100 million or more. >> gabrielle mohar, this one has got your name on it, girl! >> reporter: membership has its privileges. the next inductee will get a half a billion dollar payout. the net worth of will smith, britney spears and jennifer aniston combined. with $500 million you can knock on the door of oprah's $85 million california home. tell her you want to buy five of them and still have $75 million to spare. but the luckiest people of all are those who years later haven't managed to go broke. >> been married 41 years. i know what to do with the check. [ applause ]

>> reporter: people like jim and carolyn mcculler, who bought a winning mega millions lottery ticket back in january 2011 worth $190 million. >> my kids, grand kids, great grandkids and their children also will never have to worry. because we are not going to blow this. >> reporter: and now almost two years later, they have managed to do just what they said, they have set up trust funds for their four kids and 23 grandchildren. been very generous with donations, and most importantly haven't blown their millions. and cynthia stafford who won $112 million hasn't either. >> it's a blessing. people who receive it that way, they tend to keep it. i am involved with a number of organizations and it just warms my heart to be able to do these things. >> reporter: she is using her payday to pay it forward big time. linsey davis, abc news, new york. >> those folks in arizona and missouri, be smart, do some

good. keep it simple. >> coming up next, vito schnabel dating one of hollywood's best known cougars. >> schnabel. who? schnabel. >> saying i'm sorry, steven tyler style, next in the schnabel "skinny." schauble. tyler

skinny ♪ ♪ so skinny

alrighty. with one of the most interesting last names on the planet -- >> true there. >> -- demi moore happens to be dating a 26-year-old. granted she is 50. he is 26. >> here we go again. >> his name is vito schnabel. >> schnabel. >> schnabel. if the name sounds familiar -- >> how possibly could it? [ laughter ] >> his dad is julian schnabel, oscar nominated director for the diving bell and the butterfly. >> oh, the schnabels. >> such a schnabely, schnabel family. but apparently they met, according to "page six," they met back in november in india at a birthday party for naomi campbell's billionaire boyfriend. they were all over each other. they have been secretly dating. according to "page six" for a couple months. he's an art dealer, but he lov s

s the cougars. linked to liv tyler, 35, and elle macpherson, 23 years older than him. >> the dude has good taste. he likes -- likes them older but fine. can't blame him for that. hopefully, a nice rebound. that's what it is. >> schnabel doesn't discriminate. >> no, indeed. you go, you know, schnabel. you do what you do, baby. also, more "american idol" drama. first mariah carey/nicki minaj feud. then a feud nicki minaj & steven tyler. from aerosmith. apparently, he tweeted, these young kids they don't know what they're doing on the show. years ago would have kicked bob dylan off the show. nicki minaj tweets back, called tyler a racist. and felt offended by what he said. and steven defended himself and apologized. let's take a listen. >> i apologize if it was taken wrong, nicki, but i am the farthest from what did she say i was? a racist. i am the last thing on this planet that is a racist. i was just saying if bob dylan

came on the show he would have been thrown off. you know, i think i spoke out of turn, but a racist, i'm not, nicki. >> big word eluded him. what's that again? >> looks good. looks healthy. also, kim kardashian back in the news, apparently not divorced yet. the divorce attorney went before the judge and said basically she is handcuffed to her soon to be ex-husband kris humphries. basically the trial date will start in the few months here. humphries wants an annulment, because he said the marriage was a fraud and he seeks to collect documents from the companies that handle kim's reality shows. kim is seeking traditional divorce. says i want this thing to be done and over with as quickly as possible. so it's still wrapped up in court. they're still together. apparently, kim's mom, kris and current boyfriend, kanye west have been deposed in the case, already legally messy still not divorced for my ex-girl k.k. >> until she is -- still legally with, her old husband you will have to wait. >> i'll stand in line.

>> okay, kanye. i have to know what weight watchers thinks. jessica simpson signed the lucrative million-dollar deal to take the weight off, shed 65 pounds. she revealed, yesterday she is pregnant again with number two. her little baby, maxwell, 7 months old. she confirmed to "us weekly" she is pregnant. it wasn't planned. she is really overjoyed. you can find out all about it on the next cover of "us weekly" or in the morning on "good morning america." >> very nice. last pregnancy, the baby is due, what, 2017. >> it is going to feel like it. >> good luck, jessica. >> it is going to feel like it. >> good luck, jessica. lysol believes no toilet is complete,

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criticizing the acting job that pays you more than $300,000 an episode that might not be right, biting the hand that feeds you. >> kind of, yeah, really. >> such is the plight of angus jones who, spent a second day trying to take back some pretty harsh word. abc's brandi hitt is in l.a. with the latest. good morning, brandi. >> reporter: good morning, rob and paula. even after his apology, the controversy surrounding actor angus jones is not going away and now other actors are weighing in. >> i am on "two and a half men" i don't want to be on it. please stop watching it. >> reporter: actor angus t. jones is apologizing for his controversial comments about "two and a half men" the television show he starred in for nearly a decade. >> please stop filling your head with filth. ing >> reporter: jones joined the seventh day adventist church. hours after his religious rant went viral, he released the statement. "i apologize if my remarks reflect me showing indifference to and disrespect of my colleagues.

i never intended that." next to jones in the video is man described as the act's spiritual mentor host of the online ministry forerunner chronicles. >> the spirit would never tell him to stay on the show. the show is not teaching all truth. it's teaching lies. >> reporter: a former star of "two and a half men" is weighing in. >> thought you said he got dumped. >> reporter: charlie sheen who played jones' uncle on the comedy was fired after an ugly fight with the producers. now a star on "anger management," sheen tells abc news that my former nephew is welcome at the good son anger management home anytime. actor stephen baldwin is a born again christian and also defending jones. baldwin told "good morning america" he's been denied roles because of his religion. >> is it possible to be successful in hollywood and be an outspoken christian? >> sure doesn't seem like it now does it? >> reporter: jones isn't expected back on the "two and a half men" set until next year. because his character has joined the military.

rob, paula. e! online reporting he will exit the show after season ten. the thing, cbs has not ordered the show for an 11th season. you don't know what his future is or for that matter what the future of the show. unless they do this spin off. >> "two and a half weirdos" that's what it should say. that's all i got. >> schnabel. >> announcer: this is abc's "world news now," informing insomniacs for two decades.

breaking overnight, we have a winner. >> it's not us. two to be, exact. the biggest powerball prize ever, set to be split in half. two tickets had all the numbers.